Matchmaking Mission
by Furinjuru
Summary: It's Valentine's Day, and love is in the air for everyone (Not counting the dense people too oblivious to see it)
1. Morning

As the coldest months of Winter in Uchiura pass, a speck of warmth begins to return to everyone's daily lives. Thick coats are deemed unnecessary as people ditch them in favor of something more-fashionable like a jacket or a scarf. People become 'warmer', smiling and laughing more frequently.

For Chika, it all feels bittersweet. After all, there are only two months left until the end of the school year and the third-year's graduation. The end of Uranohoshi and their school idol club. All good things must come to an end, but she didn't expect the end to come so fast. It felt like it was only yesterday that she had accidentally pushed Riko and herself into the sea.

Speaking of Riko, Chika notices that she hasn't arrived yet, which is odd. She's usually punctual, arriving at least half an hour before the bell rings, but now she's nowhere to be seen. It worries her more than she lets on.

Ever since the New Years' party Aqours held, Chika has been thinking about Riko a lot. One talk with Kanan later and she's confident that she's in love, but Chika thinks that she started liking the other girl romantically way earlier than the party. Maybe it was the morning of their training camp when Riko told her that she loved her (she still doesn't know whether she meant that platonically or not).

Yeah, that was probably it. But Aqours took up most of her time then, so she couldn't think too much about stuff like dating. Now, they're in the finals and have a good shot at winning, with the entirety of the Shizuoka prefecture supporting them. They have their song, choreography, and costumes ready. Practice is being put on hold for a bit, which leaves Chika with nothing to think about other than her studies—she mentally gags at that thought—or her feelings. What a coincidence that today is Valentine's Day, causing thoughts about the latter to become even more prominent.

She lets out a groan, burying her face in her hands. Everything would be so much easier if Riko would just confess again. That way Chika can ask what she really meant by it, and everything would work out. They would either start dating, or they would move on. It's a decent plan that didn't consider the possibility of Riko not being in class.

"Riko-chan isn't here yet?"

Chika looks up, her eyes meeting You's blue ones. She lets out another groan before shaking her head. You offers her a pitying look before sitting down on her seat beside Chika's. "Cheer up. Hey, look what I got you!"

Chika turns her head, watching as You waves a box of chocolate in front of her. She immediately perks up. "Mikan chocolate!"

"That's right!" The two smile as You hands the box towards Chika, the latter beginning to unwrap the gift. "But seriously, how can you not get bored of this stuff? It's always the same every year." Ever since they gave each other friendship chocolate in elementary, You always gives Chika the special mikan chocolate she loves so much. (maybe change the last sentence to something like "Ever since elementary school, You has always given Chika her favorite mikan chocolate as a sign of their friendship, and this year is no exception.")

At the question, Chika giggles a bit. "Of course I won't get bored of it. This," She points towards the opened box. "Is a symbol of our friendship. It's been with us for as long as I can remember. And even though things in our lives change, our friendship stays the same, just like these chocolates."

You stays silent, carefully processing the deep meaning behind Chika's words. "Chika…are you alright?" She grins as her best friend's smile turns into a pout. "I'm kidding! But seriously, I didn't expect that from you. You really changed a lot."

"I can say the same for you," Chika says off-handedly. "Oh! Speaking of chocolate…." She takes out a box of chocolate from her bag and offers it to You. "Here's yours."

You excitedly takes the gift, appreciating the nice wrapping before she opens it. "Thanks a lot! It's nice getting friendship chocolate once in a while."

"Look at Miss Popular here," Chika teases. "I bet you're gonna keep getting _honmei_ all day. So much delicious chocolate…."

"That's not a good thing." You sighs. "Eating too much is unhealthy. And I feel terrible having to reject them. It's so…sad."

"Oh no!" Chika gasps, the shock on her face completely over-exaggerated. "You'll have to reject girls who you rarely ever talk to and never even considered as a romantic partner."

"That's cruel, Chika. Even if it is true." You chuckles as she looks for her book in her bag. As she does that, Chika takes a peek inside, finding a few other boxes of chocolate. Most of them look the same except for one that's smaller and packaged in blue. You usually doesn't discriminate between her friends, so for someone who doesn't know what's going on it would look more than a little odd. But Chika knows _exactly_ what's going on.

Her voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone, she leans towards You with a wide grin on her face. "Hey, You-chan..." She waits until her best friend looks up to face her before continuing. "Is that what I think it is?" She asks innocently, pointing at the box. You's eyes follow her finger until they land on the box, her face turning bright red as she closes her bag to hide it. The reaction causes Chika's grin to become even wider. "It's for _her_ , isn't it?"

"Well yeah, but it's not what you're thinking." You says, placing her book on her desk. "You know she loves chocolate, so I wanted to give her something nice. Really, that's it."

"You made this yourself, right?" Slightly embarrassed, You nods at Chika's prodding. "Why couldn't you have given her the same chocolate as the rest of us?"

"Of course I couldn't do that. She doesn't like mikans." You seems proud of having thought of an excuse. Chika doesn't buy it, however.

"So instead of buying chocolates that don't have mikan in them…you decided to make the chocolate yourself?"

"Uhh…." You flushes. "…yeah?"

"You-chan, you're a horrible liar." Chika resists the urge to laugh when You turns redder. "I mean, it's not like you have to hide it. Everyone in Aqours already knows."

"Everyone?!" You balks. "Even Yoshiko-chan?" Her voice takes on a panicked tone as she wonders if she's already outed herself.

"I guess not her…" Otherwise, they wouldn't even be having this conversation. "But that doesn't change the point. Your crush is super obvious."

"You mean like your crush on Riko?" You asks, in a desperate attempt to change the subject from her.

"Yeah," Chika answers unflinchingly. "So that's why you should just confess. There's nothing wrong with Yoshiko, and I'm sure she likes you too."

You shakes her head, sighing. "I know that she likes me, but…what if she doesn't like me in that way? What if she likes me as just a friend?"

 _Are we talking about the same person?_ It's not like Yoshiko is less obvious about her crush. There are times when Chika wants to push them into a closet for an hour until they confess. _Seriously, You-chan is hopeless without me._ "I'm sure that's not the case," she says instead. "It'll work out."

You nods, Chika's words helping to soothe her nerves. "…so, what about you? Did you make something for Riko-chan?"

"You bet I did!" She pulls out a nicely-wrapped box of chocolates from her bag, holding it up proudly.

"…that's just mikan chocolate, isn't it?" You asks.

"It's the Takami's special mikan chocolate!" Chika corrects her. "Passed down from each generation to the next, it's a good luck charm to ensure a long, happy relationship!"

"I see." You hums. "I never thought you'd be someone who believed in superstition, though."

Chika shakes her head. "I usually don't, but I'm super desperate." She mutters, resting her head on her desk. "I'm so normal, and Riko-chan's so amazing, so I'm willing to do anything to help my chances."

 _Your chances are already really good, though._ You sighs inwardly. It's not like Riko is less obvious about her crush. They're practically dating already with how much time they spend together. _Seriously, Chika-chan is hopeless without me_. "I'm sure Riko-chan will be blown away by whatever you made."

"Thanks, You-chan." Chika smiles at her best friend. "I'd wish you luck, but I don't think you really need it. You make really good chocolate, and Yoshiko-chan loves chocolate, so it's like a match made in heaven."

"More like a match made in hell." You says, her eyes meeting Chika's flat stare. "…since, y'know, Yoshiko-chan is a fallen angel? Never mind, I shouldn't ha-"

"Is that what you two do nowadays?" Chika teases. "Roleplay _chuuni_ things together? I guess that counts as romantic."

"W-we don't do that kind of stuff together." You quickly defends herself. "It was just a joke."

"For now, but it's only a matter of time before she turns you into one of her 'little demons' and you start joining her streams." Chika ignores You's whining as her attention is directed to the entrance of the class, perking up when she sees the person who just stepped in.

You follows Chika's gaze, watching as Riko walks towards her seat, barely on time. "Riko-chan, good mor- are you okay?" As she approaches them, it's clear that she isn't herself. She seems to lack energy, and the foundation of makeup she had hastily applied can't hide the dark rings around her eyes.

"Good morning you two." She yawns while collapsing onto her desk. You would've guessed that she was asleep if she hadn't spoken up. "The teacher hasn't come in yet, has she?"

"Nope, you're safe." Chika suddenly stands up.

"I think I'll go to the bathroom before classes start." With that, Chika walks out of the class. You waits for her to be out of earshot before turning to Riko.

"Let me guess." She smiles. "You stayed up late making chocolate for Chika-chan, right?" Riko can only let out a grunt in response. "I bet she'll love it."

"I hope so." Riko sighs. "I'm not sure my heart will be able to take a rejection."

"I'm rooting for you," You says, hoping to lift Riko's spirits. "I'm not sure I can take watching you two dance around each other for another day."

Before Riko can muster up the energy to respond, the first teacher of the day comes in. Chika enters a bit later, earning a minor scolding from the teacher even though she was only in the bathroom.

 _Yep,_ You thinks to herself. _This'll be an interesting day._

"Yoshiko-chan! Wait up!"

The navy-haired girl stops at the school entrance, turning around to face the person who had called out to her. The girl's signature red hair is a dead giveaway, and Yoshiko waves as Ruby approaches her, slightly out of breath. "Ruby, what's up?"

"I want to give you something! Just hold on a second..." She mumbles, unzipping her bag. Yoshiko's expression progressively becomes more horrified as the redhead rummages through the contents. Before she can say anything, Ruby pulls out a neatly wrapped package and presents it to her.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Yoshiko-chan!" She smiles brightly, not noticing Yoshiko's distressed expression. "This is my gift for you, please take it." Yoshiko stares at the package, wondering if she fell asleep on the bus and this is a dream.

She bites the inside of her cheek. Not a dream.

With shaky hands, she takes the item. The wrapping is simple yet elegant, and she can already guess what the actual gift is, considering the date. Ruby is still staring at her with her cheerful smile, which makes what she's about to say all the more difficult.

"Ruby...I-I'm sorry." She stutters, closing her eyes so she won't have to see the other girl's expression. "I only like you as a good friend, nothing more. So...I can't accept this gift. I'm really, really sorry!" She bows deeply, hoping that the two of them can still be friends after this and Dia won't kill her.

Ruby blinks, confused by Yoshiko's reaction. "Huh? Hold on, I think you're misunderstanding." She waves her arms frantically, her face red with embarrassment. "This is just friendship chocolate!"

"What?" Yoshiko straightens up, once again staring at the package. "Friendship chocolate?"

"Y-yeah." Ruby nods. "Even though we've only known each other for about a year, I think of you as a really good friend too." Yoshiko continues staring at the gift like it's a foreign object, and it takes a while for Ruby to realize why that might be the case.

 _Has she never received any before? I guess it makes sense, since she the last time she saw Hanamaru-chan was back in kindergarten. Other than that, it's not like she'd receive friendship chocolate in elementary or middle school._

...That was a really mean thought, wasn't it? Oh no. Ruby can feel her face turning even redder. "S-sorry." Of course, since she didn't voice the rest of her thoughts, it only leaves Yoshiko confused.

"What are you apologizing for?" She asks, beginning to tear apart the wrapping paper. "I should be the one apologizing. I don't have anything to give you. I'll…try to make it up to you later."

"It's fine," Ruby assures. "Just enjoy the chocolates." Yoshiko looks a bit better, but when she inspects the gift and realizes what brand of chocolates she's been given, she instantly pales.

"Isn't this that super-expensive brand from Tokyo?" She gulps nervously. "Is it really okay?"

"Of course!" Ruby pouts cutely, her expression resembling a cute puppy. "I'm being serious here, just enjoy it. You don't even have to give me anything as long as you're happy."

Yoshiko chuckles, slipping into her fallen angel persona and poses. "Well, I suppose I can't reject my little demon. Dark chocolate is the perfect offering for a dark being such as myself."

"Sure, glad you like it," Ruby says cheerfully, zipping her bag back up. "So you won't be giving any chocolate today?"

At that question, Yoshiko blushes. "Well...not really. I'll be giving one to someone." Ruby perks up, her smile becoming even wider.

"I won't tell anyone. Anyway, I have to go now. There's still plenty of chocolates I need to give out today. Do your Rubesty!" With another wave, Ruby is off, leaving Yoshiko alone as she walks towards class. She considers putting the chocolate in her bag, but is worried that they'll melt in spite of the weather, so she takes a chocolate piece and eats it.

It's good, Yoshiko thinks. She eats another piece as she makes her way to class, walking through the school halls. She sees other students exchanging chocolates in the hallway, laughing and having fun. A few people even stop her to give her more chocolate, which she guiltily accepts while promising that she'll return the favor soon.

By the time she finally makes it to class with a bag chock full of chocolate, she laments having to eat all of it before they melt. Still, as she stares at the chocolates, given to her by her _friends_ , she can't help but smile.

This is shaping up to be a pretty good day.

As the first bell rings and school starts, the previous lighthearted atmosphere vanishes almost entirely, replaced with palpable tension. With all kinds of chocolate having been exchanged already, there's only one thing left; _honmei_ chocolate. The main event of Valentine's Day. Both teachers and students alike can agree that this is the worst day for school. Students can't focus, and teachers struggle to teach students who can't focus.

Hanamaru stares out of the window of the classroom, watching the grand sakura tree right in the middle of the schoolyard. It would be a nice place for a confession, like a scene from a book, but too many people share her thoughts. Call her a romantic, but she wants it to feel personal. Confessing at a place where many others do sounds like the opposite of personal.

She turns away from the window and towards her bag, catching a glimpse of a package wrapped in yellow paper. Her face flushes and emotion bubbles in her chest. She might not have a solid plan, but she's more than sure of her own feelings. Somehow, she will confess.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as optimistic. Riko is one such example. As she glances at the energetic girl sitting behind her, she feels a tight knot forming in her throat, making her feel breathless. There are many reasons for Riko to be pessimistic.

First of all, even if Chika isn't the most popular second year—that would be You—she's still incredibly popular from virtue of being the leader of Aqours. She's pretty, warm, kind and _radiant._ Chika is truly, utterly amazing, and Riko knows that. Riko also knows that _everyone_ knows that. It's not hard to imagine other people falling in love with the loveable girl.

That's where the second problem comes in. Riko knows exactly how bland she is. When people hear her name, their first thought is 'the transfer student from Tokyo' more often than not. Arguably, it's better than 'the girl who reads doujinshi', but it saddens her to realize that she's so boring, to the point where the most memorable thing about her is that she's from the big city.

Riko is so bland and uninteresting, unlike Chika. Chika can go on the same spiel about shining for the hundredth time and still captivate her, because that's who Chika is. Chika is the girl who insists that she's normal but keeps doing amazing things. Chika is the girl who never gave up on Riko, even when she's given up on herself. Chika is the girl who, just from her actions, caused Riko to fall head-over-heels for her. Chika, the girl who wanted to shine, and became the light of her life.

Riko lets out a depressed sigh, returning her gaze to the front of the class. Why would Chika want someone boring like her? The chances of her feelings being returned are pretty much zero. Still, at the very least she wants to get those feelings off her chest. She seeks closure, even if it means getting rejected.

Even if it means getting hurt.

Because today is Valentine's Day. The day where logic gets sidelined and emotions take up the foreground. As they say, love turns people into idiots. Even someone as calm and logical as Riko isn't immune to its effects.

When the bell signaling lunch break rings, "Operation: Confess" begins.


	2. RubyMaru

"Hey, Zuramaru?"

"Yes, Yoshiko-chan?"

"It's Yohane!" Hanamaru rolls her eyes, deciding to play along with the girl's wishes.

"Yes, Yohane-chan?"

"It's Yohane- _sama._ "

"Don't push it, zura." Hanamaru says with a calm smile.

"Sorry," Yoshiko mumbles. "I need your help with something." Hanamaru perks up at that; it's rare for Yoshiko to ask for help without saying it in some roundabout way in her fallen angel style. It must be serious.

"If I can help you with it, sure." She says, watching Yoshiko as the latter nervously fiddles with her thumb.

"I wanted to ask about…romantic advice." Her voice progressively getting quieter, Hanamaru almost couldn't hear the last part underneath the noises of the class. Hanamaru remains silent, beckoning her to continue. "So you, like, read romance novels a lot, right?"

"No," Hanamaru deadpans. "I usually read history books."

"Wait, seriously?" Hanamaru nods. "Damn it…." She looks dejected, an expression Hanamaru can't consciously ignore.

"Well, I've read romance novels before," Hanamaru starts. "Not a lot. So I'm not sure how good my advice would be, zura."

"That's fine!" Yoshiko quickly interjects. "I'm not asking about serious stuff like what to give for her birthday, or how to celebrate Christmas together, or meeting her parents, or marriage advice, or-"

"Yoshiko-chan." Hanamaru says, stopping Yoshiko's train of thought from going any further. "You've _clearly_ thought about this more than I have. Are you really sure you want my help?"

"P-positive." She stutters, her cheeks threatening to match the color of her eyes. "Just your opinion is fine. If it's not too much of a bother." Hanamaru shakes her head.

"Of course not, zura. So, what do you want to ask?"

"Uhm…" Her thumb fiddling becomes even worse as she tries to properly convey her thoughts. "Do you think it's romantic to confess on a bus ride?"

Hanamaru resists the growing temptation to snort or laugh at the question. Yoshiko seems to be considering it seriously, so Hanamaru should respond in kind. "It could be. Out of curiosity, why were you thinking of confessing there?"

"Well…we talk a lot while we're on the bus, and over time we really got to know each other. I started really crushing on her there." As she speaks, the faint blush never leaves Yoshiko's features, and neither does her smile. "So, I guess it's kinda special for us. Even though it's a bit weird."

"Hmm, I see. I wonder who that might be?" Hanamaru asks sarcastically. Her mind tunes out Yoshiko's flustered reaction as she ponders over Yoshiko's words. Yoshiko doesn't care that the place she chose isn't a conventional place for a confession, it's a good match for the girl who breaks a lot of societal norms by how she acts.

She purses her lips as she thinks about it more. For Yoshiko, the most important thing is that the place means a lot to the people involved, because a confession is supposed to mean a lot to the people involved as well. Suddenly, inspiration strikes her. It's like a fog has been lifted from her mind as the gears begin turning in her head.

"Yoshiko-chan! You're a genius, zura! Thanks!" She exclaims.

"It's Yohane! And…you're welcome?" She adds, confused. "Although I didn't really do anything?"

"No, you did plenty." Smiling, Hanamaru thinks of a plan. She knows the perfect place to confess.

She just hopes that Ruby will like it, too.

When Ruby returns to class after giving out even more friendship chocolate (seriously, Hanamaru's almost jealous of the amount she and Dia receive to buy fancy friendship chocolate), Hanamaru wastes no time, walking up towards her.

"Ruby-chan," she says in a sing-song tone. "Do you want to come to the library with me, zura? We just got a few new magazines about school idols!"

Ruby checks the clock, wanting to make sure that she won't return late. Once she's confident, she nods eagerly. "Sure! I'd love to!"

The two first-years make their way to the library, although Hanamaru feels more than a little uncomfortable. Her chocolates for Ruby is hidden underneath her sweater, her arms covering the lump in order to make it seem less conspicuous.

Once they arrive, Hanamaru takes a small stack of magazines from the front desk before they sit down near the corner. It's empty, just as Hanamaru expected. After all, why spend your Valentine's Day in a library when you could be spending it with your crush? There's only her and Ruby.

A nice, private place for the two of them. Just what she wanted.

The moment they're seated, Ruby gingerly takes the first magazine she sees, opening it to its first page. At first she's quiet, humming a small tune as her eyes flit across the pages. But eventually, she gets _really_ into it, exposing what Hanamaru considers her favorite side of Ruby.

It starts with a small comment about the making of a uniform showcased on one of the pages. Their reading session turns into a storytelling session as Ruby shows off her vast knowledge of school idols. It's interesting, but not as interesting as just hearing Ruby talk. Which is why when Ruby turns to face her after an explanation on A-RISE's signature style, she finds her best friend staring right at her.

"Hanamaru-chan!" She squeaks, shocking Hanamaru as well. "S-sorry! That must be really boring to listen to."

"No, no!" Hanamaru assures. "Not at all. It was really fun hearing you talk about all that stuff, even though I don't really know too much about it."

Ruby nods, going back to reading. Unfortunately, she's more self-conscious now, restraining herself from going on another tangent. The atmosphere is uncomfortable, so Hanamaru wants to do something to help lighten things up. She takes the box out of her sweater, takes a deep breath, and prepares herself.

"Ruby-chan." She begins, attracting the other girl's focus. "Do you remember how long we've been friends?"

Ruby pauses to think about it, before answering. "Since elementary, right?"

"That's right." Hanamaru nods. "And…ever since that time, we've always been together as best friends. But…but I have a confession to make." Slowly, she takes another deep breath. "Ruby-chan, I love you. Will you please go out with me?" She asks, offering her precious gift to Ruby. But Ruby doesn't say anything in response, looking distressed as she takes the chocolates from Hanamaru. Hanamaru's heart almost stops. Does Ruby not like her chocolates?

"Ruby-chan?" She gulps nervously. "Is there something wrong?"

"I-I didn't expect to be confessed to right now." She mumbles. "I…left my present in class. I'm sorry, Hanamaru-chan."

Hanamaru stares at the flustered redhead for a few seconds before giggling softly. Apparently, she was worried over nothing. "I don't care about that, zura! I just want to know your answer."

"O-of course I love you too!" Ruby exclaims. "How can I not? You're so nice and pretty, you're the best, Hanamaru-chan."

As nice as it is to hear Ruby say such nice things about her, she doesn't want her to neglect herself. "I think Ruby-chan's the best, zura. You're cute, smart, and even nicer!"

Ruby laughs, smiling softly as she stares at Hanamaru. "Then…maybe we can call it a draw?"

"Sounds good to me." Hanamaru returns the smile. Ruby then frowns, beginning to open the box of chocolates in her hand. Her sudden mood change is concerning. "Is something wrong, zura?"

"Oh no, it's nothing." Ruby sighs. "I still feel a bit bad that I forgot to bring my gift with me. I guess you really surprised me, Hanamaru-chan." Hanamaru giggles. This only proves her girlfriend's caring nature in her eyes, and makes her love Ruby more.

"That's fine, don't worry." She takes out one of the chocolates, holding it right between them. She winks at Ruby before pressing the chocolate against Ruby's lips, waiting for her to bite it. When she finally does, Hanamaru leans closer. "For now, let's just share these, zura."

Because as it turns out, Hanamaru can be extremely sly when she wants to. This is probably Ruby's favorite side of Hanamaru, as well.


	3. ChikaRiko pt 1

As soon as the bell rings and the teacher leaves the class, You stands up and walks over to Riko, placing her hand on the redhead's shoulder to draw her attention.

"Hey, Riko-chan," she whispers. "If you're looking for a more private place, I think you should leave the class."

Riko blinks at the ashen-haired girl who seems nervous for some reason. "Huh? Why?"

"Well, the class isn't exactly private. You'll see." Then, like nothing just happened, she goes back to her seat. Curious, Riko turns around to face Chika's desk.

"What's You-chan talking about?" Chika laughs at her question.

"A bunch of first-years are going to be giving You-chan chocolates this year! Even though there aren't many this year, it's still gonna get pretty hectic."

"Oh." Riko nods, feeling bad for Yoshiko upon realizing just how much competition she has for You's affection. Although she's still curious about something. "What about second-years? Does she not get any chocolate from them."

"Friendship chocolate, sure. But the ones who actually wanted to confess got their chance last year…and most people aren't really excited about getting rejected twice." Riko looks around, watching as some of their classmates get up from their seats and leave the class, wanting to eat their lunches in silence. Some others look like they're betting on how many are going to give You chocolate, with most guesses being close to the total number of first-years, give or take a few people.

"What about you?" She asks, returning her attention to Chika. "Do you usually go out?" Chika nods.

"Yeah! I mean, I'm gonna stay here for a few minutes, since I have to finish this…." She frowns, staring at her blank homework for next period. "…but once I'm done, then yeah."

"Do you need help?" Riko asks, and Chika stares at her like she's grown two heads. In all honesty, she expected a light reprimand at the very least, but offering to help is something out of character for Riko. She almost wants to tease her by asking if she's sick, but that would probably piss off Riko enough to give her an actual scolding.

"I got it, don't worry! It's all in here," she presses a finger against her temple. "Just gotta write it all down. Probably won't take too long."

"I see." Riko says, watching as Chika stares down the homework. "…then once you're done, can you meet in the schoolyard?" She can feel her cheeks beginning to burn as she invites Chika, but she doesn't expect a similar shade of red to grace Chika's features. Her heat does backflips as hope blooms in her chest that her feelings might be requited.

Then, Chika gives her one of her dazzling smiles. "Sure! Just wait for me, okay?" She starts to work, her pencil leaving barely legible scribbles on the paper. The teacher will definitely scold her for that, but not as much than if she didn't do it at all, so Riko lets her off the hook. She's in a good mood, after all.

As Chika's distracted by her work, she discreetly pulls out her chocolates from her bag, keeping it out of Chika's line of sight while she exits the classroom. The gift feels comforting as she focuses on it, remembering the blood, sweat, and tears that went into making it (without actual blood, of course).

Only a few steps out of class, however, she almost bumps into another girl. She stops just in time before they collide into each other. The other girl apologizes, letting Riko see the yellow ribbon. She didn't expect to see a first-year near the second-year classrooms.

"H-hello, Sakurauchi-senpai." The first-year greets shyly. "I'm sorry, is Watanabe-senpai in class?"

"You-chan?" It's then that Riko notices something else. Clutched tightly in the girl's hands is a small, heart-shaped box. Her lips form an 'o' as she realizes the girl's intentions. "Yes, she's in class. I don't think she's busy right now."

The girl perks up, and Riko almost feels bad knowing that she's going to get rejected. Almost. You will probably reject her in a really nice way that doesn't break her heart too badly. "Thank you very much! Please excuse me." With a small bow, she runs towards the direction Riko just left.

As Riko continues to walk, she encounters a few more first-years on her way, all of them asking her the exact same question. She doesn't even bat an eye when another first-year—she lost count of how many—approaches her. "Excuse me, Saku-"

"Yes, Watanabe-san is in class. You'll probably have to wait for your turn, though." Riko waves her off, continuing to walk towards the schoolyard.

"Err, n-no, actually," She stutters as she follows Riko. "I was actually about to ask if Takami-senpai is in class?" Riko turns around so fast that she's worried she dislocated something. One part of her is screaming for her to be selfish for once in her life. Avoid the risk of Chika accepting someone else's confession entirely by preventing the confession before it happens. After all, she's the kind of girl that tries to avoid risks as much as possible.

But Riko knows that's not the right thing to do. Even if it's not with her, she wants Chika to be happy, so she smiles at the girl and nods. "She's also in the class, but I think she's doing her homework, so please don't bother her too much."

"Okay! I won't take too long." She thanks Riko before running away, leaving Riko with a pit in her stomach. She feels disgusted with herself for wishing the girl to be rejected.

When she arrives under the sakura tree, the first thing she does is sit down on the bench, trying to make sense of her conflicting thoughts. Her own box of chocolates lays on her lap, the physical manifestation of her feelings and many hours spent in the kitchen. She imagines the possibility of Chika accepting the girl's confession, making all of that go to waste.

She looks around the tree, watching other couples give each other their gifts. Everyone is smiling brightly, happiness radiating off them. Riko's gloomy demeanor doesn't belong here.

Does she deserve to have her feelings reciprocated?

People walk and chat around her, passing her by as they remain oblivious to her inner turmoil. It's like she's the lonely first-year in Otonokizaka again, eating lunch by herself in the music room. The target of more than a few mean jokes.

She's forcibly pulled away from her thoughts when she hears a loud voice calling her name. She hides the box of chocolates behind her just in time, as Chika walks into view only a few moments later. She sees the same box of chocolates held by the girl from earlier in Chika's hand, and her heart sinks.

"Riko-chan!" She shouts excitedly, waving her arms around while she walks towards the bench Riko's sitting on. Riko returns a half-hearted wave, trying not to seem too tense when Chika sits down beside her, their shoulders pressing against each other. All the while she tries to keep her present a surprise. She doesn't feel ready to give it to Chika just yet. "You should check this out! Someone just gave me homemade chocolate! It was so awesome."

Chika begins to unwrap the gift with care, removing the ribbons and wrapping paper until only the original packaging is left. Her eyes sparkle when she opens the box, revealing the assortment of chocolates within it. Without hesitation, she pops one into her mouth, much to Riko's annoyance. "Sho good!" She says, happily chewing on the sweet treat before swallowing it. "Riko-chan, do you want one?"

Riko stares at the piece of chocolate in Chika's hand, shaking her head after a few seconds. "No thanks." She answers. Chika shrugs, eating that one as well. "So, you got this from someone?" Chika nods. "Were they trying to confess?" Another nod, and Riko pauses to gather her thoughts. "…what did you say?"

"Oh, I said thanks, but I had to reject her," Chika answers off-handedly. "She took it really well, though! She told me there were no hard feelings and just asked to do my call-and-response with her. It was a lot of fun."

"I see." Riko is admittedly happy to hear that, but she hides it all behind a neutral expression. "I'm happy it worked out."

"So, what do you want to talk to me about?" Chika asks, staring at Riko curiously.

"N-nothing much." Riko blurts out. "I just wanted to chat. Thought it'd be nice." She mentally slaps herself. That's definitely not what she wanted to say.

A flash of disappointment appears on Chika's face, but she recovers before Riko can notice it. "Sure, I'd be happy to!"

The two spend the remainder of break sitting there, talking casually as if it was any other normal day. Riko's head is in the clouds, only occasionally responding to Chika's probing with short one-word answers, while Chika lacks her usual energy, Riko's halfhearted responses causing her to feel disheartened.

"Hey, Riko-chan." Chika's words finally pull the girl back to reality. She faces Chika with a questioning look. "What's the real reason you asked me to come here?"

Riko gulps nervously. The box of chocolate she had almost forgotten in her hand reminds her of its existence. "W-what are you talking about? I really just wanted to talk, that's it." She attempts futilely to steady her voice.

Chika continues to stare, as if not believing Riko's explanation. Then, disappointment returns to her face. "Oh. Alright then." Riko feels something tugging at her heartstrings. Disappointment doesn't suit Chika, she thinks to herself. Before she can fully process the words coming out of her mouth, she asks:

"Do you want to hang out after school?" Her eyes widen when she hears her own words, but before she can retract them Chika stares at her with a merry look on her face.

"Sure! I'd love to!" She says quickly, stopping Riko from saying anything else. Riko just nods, feeling a mix of anxiety and excitement stirring in her stomach.

"G-great…," Riko says, her voice barely more than a whisper. "But…we should head back to class. Break's almost over and I haven't eaten anything yet.

"I haven't eaten anything either. Crap, we gotta hurry. Come on, Riko-chan!"

"You go on ahead, Chika-chan," Riko says, smiling at her. "I'm gonna stay here for a bit longer if you don't mind. I'll join you and You-chan later."

Chika's expression falls, but she nods before running back towards their class. As soon as she's far enough away, Riko buries her face in her hands, letting out a frustrated groan. _Dammit, Riko,_ she scolds herself. _You invited her here to confess, not to invite her to talk somewhere else! Just what the hell do you think is going to come out of that?_

She pulls her face out of her hands long enough to look at her box of homemade chocolate staring tauntingly at her. She scowls, picking it up as she goes back to class. Maybe some food will make her feel better.

When she walks in, she sees Chika sitting at her desk with an unreadable expression. Nearby, You sits with a pile of gifts on her table, but even all those sugary sweets can't hide her dejected look. Slowly, Riko walks towards her, attempting to comfort her.

"…she didn't come?" She guesses, which is proven correct when You nods her head; all those gifts don't mean much when the person you want to receive a gift from isn't even here. You looks up, her jaw going slack when she sees the box in Riko's hand.

"You didn't give it to her?" Riko shakes her head regretfully. "What? Why not?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Riko sighs, putting the box of chocolate back into her bag before sitting down, pointedly ignoring the look You's giving her.

She's scared, downright _terrified_ at the thought of confessing. Even when she _wanted_ to, her subconscious kept stopping the words from coming out of her mouth. Because even when the signs tell her that she has a good shot, there's still a part of her that's convinced she'll be rejected.

She plants her face against the desk. She remembers all the times she laughed at the protagonists in her doujins because of how _dense_ they are and how they should just confess.

Oh, how the tables have turned.


	4. ChikaRiko pt 2

Hours pass until the school day finally ends. You picks up her bag, but goes towards Riko rather than leaving the class. She pulls her close, keeping their third friend from eavesdropping.

"Listen," she whispers. "Just confess to her. It really isn't that hard."

Riko glares at You. "You don't know that. I-I can't _say_ it. It's too hard for me."

You matches Riko's glare with one of her own. "…if you two aren't dating by the end of today, I'm gonna tell Chika for you." She threatens.

"What?!" Riko's words come out as a hushed shout. "You can't do that!"

"Then you better confess soon." You smirks, and without another word, she snatches a pen from Chika's desk and walks away. A few moments later Chika notices the absence of the missing pen.

"You!" She stands up after realizing that her childhood friend is the only one who could be behind this. "Get back here!" She runs out of the class, her voice echoing through the halls as she attempts to track You down. Riko turns around, realizing that Chika's bag is still at her desk, giving her an idea.

She tears off a piece of paper from her book, scribbling down two words on it. "From…Riko…." She mutters as her pen moves across the paper, leaving behind her handwriting. Once that's done, she carefully pulls out her chocolates from her bag. She moves towards the unguarded bag, slipping both the chocolate and the paper in. Once the bag is closed properly, she returns to her seat like nothing had happened.

 _Thanks You_ , she thinks upon realizing that she must've given her that opening on purpose. _You're a lifesaver_. This way, even if she can't say it, Chika will hopefully get the message. It's foolproof.

She can't hide the little smile forming on her face as Chika returns, pen held tightly in her hand. She looks like she had been running if the slight redness on her face is any indication. "That You," she huffs, stuffing the pen into her pocket. "Is she telling me to get some exercise or something? I haven't eaten that many chocolates today, have I?"

"Huh? Oh, I don't think so." Riko answers, anxiety beginning to creep in as Chika picks up her bag, but remaining at manageable levels. This is still fine, she reminds herself. As long as she doesn't panic and run away when Chika finally discovers the chocolates, she'll finally find out how Chika feels about her. "So, what do you want to do?"

"I thought you wanted to talk?" Chika asks, tilting her head.

"Well, yeah," Riko mumbles. "But I didn't really think of where to go…so I'd follow you wherever you want."

Chika giggles quietly. "Well, I was planning on taking the bus to Numazu and stalk You, but I think that's a bit too far from your house."

"It's no problem!" Riko waves her hands nervously. "I invited you kinda suddenly, so if you already had plans I don't mind. We can just chat later tonight." She picks up her bag and begins making her way to the door when she feels Chika grabbing onto her arm, sending warmth to her cheeks.

"Don't worry about it." Chika insists. "You'll tell me all about it later, anyway. Besides, I want to talk to you. If you haven't thought of where let's just take a walk around. What do you say?"

 _It'll be like a date!_ Her mind helpfully adds. _It'll be like a date before you're actually dating!_ The thought thrills her, her mind already wandering to everything they can do together.

"Sure!" She shouts out before she can have second thoughts, attracting the attention of everyone in the room. "Let's go right now!"

Chika smiles at Riko's enthusiasm, the two of them exiting the class, and soon after, the school grounds. As they exit the gates of Uranohoshi, they're greeted by a blast of cold wind. Chika shivers, immediately huddling up to Riko for warmth, much to the girl's embarrassment.

"Ahh, I can't wait for winter to be over…." She mumbles, rubbing her hands together. "It's hard to do anything when it's so cold."

"It wouldn't be so cold if you wore your scarf," Riko says, adjusting her own scarf to hide her reddening cheeks. "I think it's pretty, though. I'm happy that we don't have practice today."

"You're being so mean!" Chika pouts like an adorable puppy, causing Riko to feel an inexplicable urge to pat her head. She doesn't.

"Come on, you'll feel warmer once you start moving," Riko says. Chika starts walking, pulling Riko along with her by her hand. _Chika's holding her hand!_ She's probably trying to warm herself up, but it still makes her feel happy.

It wouldn't last long, however. On their very first stop, a small café not too far from their houses, the two sit down at a window booth. Riko is examining the menu for whatever seems interesting while Chika is concerned with what she can actually afford. She goes through her bag to find her wallet, but discovers something else instead.

"Hey, what's this?"

The redhead turns her head towards Chika, watching as she pulls out a box of chocolate from her bag. A sheet of paper flutters to the ground, and she picks it up. Her expression is shocked when she reads it, her eyes immediately going to Riko's fidgeting form. "Riko-chan?!"

"Yes?" Chika continues glancing between the gift and Riko like she's struggling to believe what's going on. For Riko, however, each passing second feels like an eternity, making her aware of every drop of sweat going down her neck. "Y-you don't have to answer right now! Just, uhm, whenever you're ready." She pulls out her phone, pretending to check it for a second before abruptly standing up. "My mom's texting me. I have to go now, sorry."

"Huh?" Chika can only watch as Riko runs out of the café, much to the confusion of the employees and leaving her behind. She finds her attention being drawn to the box. With shaky hands, she opens it, revealing a batch of homemade chocolate, a gift that Riko clearly has put some thought into. It's awfully sweet, and Chika has to resist the urge to cry tears of joy. When she eats one, it's one of the tastiest things she's ever had.

As she slowly chews the chocolate, she finds herself with a choice to make. She can carefully consider what seems to be a confession from Riko. She's said herself that she doesn't mind Chika taking her time, so Riko is willing to wait for her. Which, as sweet as the gesture is, is unnecessary, however.

After all, she already knows how she feels about Riko.

As soon as she's home, Riko screams into her pillow for being a coward who can't take responsibility for her actions. Her plan has officially crashed and burned, and she has to look away from the aftermath. Her window and blinds are shut tightly, so no one, not even Chika, can see her like this.

She must've fallen asleep since when she wakes up, she's enveloped in darkness. She stumbles out of bed drowsily, turning on the lights. The sudden brightness is almost blinding.

Today felt kind of like a nightmare. She was so, _so_ close to her goal, but a flicker of something irrational in her mind and heart is enough to make her run away from something she's wanted for months. How depressing.

She lumbers towards her piano, opening the lid and running her finger on top of the keys. Before she realizes it, she's pressing down on key after key, music slowly filling the room.

"Riko-chan!"

Riko freezes. That voice sounded an awful lot like Chika. She should just ignore it. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. She probably wants to talk about earlier. If she pretends to be asleep….

"Riko-chan! Come out here!"

Nope, she definitely knows that Riko's awake. Besides, she just listened to her play piano. There's no way she can pretend to be asleep. With a heavy sigh, she walks out onto the balcony, like the many times she's done before to converse with Chika.

"I knew it!" is the first thing Chika says when she sees Riko. "I heard someone playing piano, and I knew it had to be you. It was really pretty, just like usual."

Riko's cheeks began to color, but she can excuse it due to the cold. "Thank you." She answers.

"Hold on, I want to give you something." Chika goes back into her room, leaving Riko alone for a few minutes as she thinks. _Give me something? On Valentine's Day? There's no way she's talking about…._

Chika returns with a medium-sized plastic bag in her right hand. No warning was given before Chika hurls it towards her. Riko barely catches it, shooting Chika a glare. "Chika-chan!" She shouts, peeking into the bag. "You should be more careful! What if I…dropped…it."

Her breath catches in her throat as she pulls something out of the bag. A heart-shaped box of chocolate. Her entire body goes rigid, and she can do nothing but stare.

"Riko-chan!" Chika shouts, finally snapping her out of her trance. "I'm sorry I didn't get to say this earlier." She cups her hands around her mouth, shouting: "I. Love. You!" She declares proudly, her voice loud enough to reach even Tokyo. "Please go out with me!"

And finally, Riko could no longer hold her feelings in. "I love you too!" She responds, her lips forming a wide smile. "I love you, Chika-chan! I wish I can hug you right now!"

"I'm glad." Chika laughs. "I got an idea. Open your front door." Riko watches as Chika runs out of her room. With her own heart beating out of her chest, she sprints downstairs and towards the door. The moment she opens it, she's greeted by a tackle from her now-girlfriend. A pair of warm hands wraps themselves around her body. "Happy Valentine's Day, Riko-chan."

"Thank you, Chika-chan. Happy Valentine's Day."


End file.
